Suitcase having individually accessible sections of different height and depth



May 8, 1951 s, KRAMER 2,552,438 SUITCASE HAVING INDIVIDUALLY ACCESSIBLE SECTIONS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT AND DEPTH Filed March 23, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

ATTORNEY KRAMER INDIVIDUALLY ACCESSIBLE May 8, 1951 s,

SUITCASE HAVING SECTIONS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT AND DEPTH Filed March 25, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5.4)14/54 i Kan/1&4

INVENTO R @4442 7% ATTO RN EY Patented May 8, 1951 SUITCASE HAVING INDIVIDUALLY ACCES- SIBLE SECTIONS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT AND DEPTH Samuel G. Kramer, Spring Glen, N. Y.

Application March 23, 1948, Serial No. 16,409

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to the luggage field and more particularly to improved suitcase construction.

In the past it has been considered desirable to have a suitcase in which, instead of having the various garment parts folded, said parts were suspended in such a manner as to reduce crushing and wrinkling thereof. The various attempts at a solution of this problem, however, have resulted for the most part in devices in which the garment parts were subjected to considerable folding or in which the case took on the characteristics of a large trunk, for example of the wardrobe type, not suitable for carrying by hand.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide suitcase structure in which a mans or womans suit, with the exception of the trousers, may be contained therein without undesirable bunching, wrinkling, or folding. In accordance with the present invention, the suit or similar garment may be transported with substantially the same accommodation as it would be if hung in a closet in the home, that is to say the garment may be carried by an ordinary garment hanger.

Another object herein lies in the provision of suitcase structure having in combination a first chamber or compartment within which may be carried various similar articles used in travel and the like and a second chamber or compartment of sufiicient size and proper shape to contain a suit or suits or similar articles of clothing.

Another object herein lies in luggage structure in which a plurality of non-communicating chambers are arranged so that suspended garments or garment elements may be maintained in a substantially vertical position while the luggage is at rest upon a horizontal surface or while the luggage is being manually carried.

Another object herein lies in the provision of suitcase structure having a handle, in which the handle may be carried by the users hand while walking, in such manner that the bottom surface of the suitcase may clear the ground and the uppermost portions of the suitcase may lie between the users upper arm and trunk, fitting below the shoulder joint of the user.

A further object herein is the provision of suitcase structure which may be relatively light in weight and may offer a maximum of convenience and usefulness and yet which may be low in cost so as to have a large distribution and use.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and will be pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of each embodiment.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a suitcase showing a first embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the suitcase shown in Figure l, with the cover for the suit or second compartment in an opened position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front view in perspective corresponding generally to Figure 1 but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view of the suitcase shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front view in perspective of a suitcase showing a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of the suitcase shown in Figure 6 with the cover for the suit or second compartment in an opened position.

Turning now to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the suitcase generally indicated by reference character I a includes broadly a first compartment l2, a second compartment M, and a handle element IS.

The suitcase :0 may be constructed in any suitable manner used in the art, as for example using sole leather or a covered wood framework. If desired the case may be fashioned from shaped portions of light metal. The first compartment 52 is formed in part by upper wall l8, side walls 20 and 22, a bottom wall 24 and main wall 44. A hinge member 26 pivotally connects a first lid element 28 at the bottom portion 3!} thereof to the wall 24, thereby permitting the lid element to be swung outwardly to provide access to the compartment I2. Latch members 32 detachably interconnect the upper portion 34 of the lid to the free edge of the upper wall E8. Although the compartment I2 is shown in Figure 3 as internally unfitted, the inner surfaces of walls EB, 29, 22, and 24 if desired may be provided with pockets of suitable shapes to retain smaller articles which would otherwise be unsecured.

The handle 16 may be of any suitable configuration, but is preferably of the type shown having a pivotal mounting 36 which secures it to the upper wall l8.

The second compartment is formed by the side walls 20 and 22, the bottom wall 24, the top wall 38 as well as the upper portions 40 and 42 of the side walls 20 and 22, and the main vertical wall 44. The wall 44 serves as a joint support for, and as a divider preventing communication between, the first and second compartments, and also provides the exterior surface 45 of the second compartment.= The, outer vertical wall 46 and the second compartment lid element 38 form the remaining side of the second chamber. I have shown the height of the lid element to be approximately twice that of the, outer vertical wall, but if desirable the outer verticalwall may be eliminated, the lid element correspondingly increased in size to completely enclose the, outer side of the second compartment. Hinge members 50 interconnect the lid element l8 with the upper side wall portion 48, while latch member 52 retain the lid in the closed position.

,Secured near the top of the main verticalwall 44 a horizontal support 54 the free end of which is. provided with an enlargement 56. As m s n Fig re 3.1 en a se t srr to retain a suitable number of hangers only one of which indicated by reference character 58 is shown. v V

i o a s tom o t n r yi t en vicelit isdesirable that the distance between the handle Iii and the top wall 38 be shorter than the arm of the user. This will of course vary with he. se t t r sin ihs mmpartment It is, substantialiy disposed between thee-rm of the user andhis body it is of relatively narrow depth, that is between the wall 45 and element 48, but even so, several suits may be inserted into the compartment in an unfolded state.

V Turning now tothesec nd embodiment of the invention lu tra d n i u s s. a d or he purpose of avoiding needless repetition, certain of the parts having junctions similar to thoseof the firstembodiment are given similar reference characters with the addition of the prefix fl As maybe ,seen inFigures 4 and 5 the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment Pri ci l n hel h ne o t e top W I38 an the upper wall H8, and in the construction and action, ofthe lid element I43. These twomembers are substantially curved. The Iidelements I48 is openedtodisclose the second compartment s i in i .l p r y ns. a b @Th lidis retained in any iven positionby the action of iriction between the sliding surfaces It desired, however, a suitable latch member (not shown) maybe provided. v

'Ifin ning now to. the third embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 parts corresponding to those in the first embodiment have beengiven similar reference characters with the addition of the prefix f 2, As may be seen in Figures 6 and 7 the third embodiment. differs from the first embodiment and second embodiment principally in the shape of the top wall 238 and the construction and action of the lid member 248. In this embodiment the lid is pivotally mounted by the hinges 250 for movement about a horizontal axis and is securable in the closed position thereof by a fastening device 264 which may include a leather strap member and interengaging members 262.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel and highly useful article of luggage. Suitcases made in accordance with my invention may be. fabricated of relatively light weight materials since the main wall 44 acts as a stiffening strut as well as a divider between the first and second compartments. The larger articles of outer clothing which are normally hung on hangers may beplac ed within the second compartment without v removing them from the hangers. This makes packing a relatively simple process since by placing the present suitcase adjacent a clothes closetthe transfer in either direction takes a relatively short time.

Invish it to be understood that Ido not consider the invention to be limited to the exact details or structure set forth in this specification, as obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

. e ai 'a l.

,In a suitcase the combination of a first compartment having a bottom wall, sidewalls, a lid, an upper wall, a back wallextending above said upper wall and ahandle member secured to said upper wall; a second compartment having a bet tom wall, a top wall, side walls, a front wall formed by the back wall of said first compartment, a'nd a lid; said side walls being coplanar; saidbottom walls being coplanar; said upper wall being disposed in afirst plane, said topw'all being disposed in a second parallel plane; said last two mentioned planes being substantially paced from each other; said first compartment being vertically disposed and having a predetermined height depth; and said second compartment being vertically disposed and having a second predeterrnined height and depth; the depth of said first compartmentbeing greater than the depth of said second compartment.

SAMUEL G'. KRAMER.

REFERENCES CITED I V The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 7

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 28, 1927 

